melanin

American  

[mel-uh-nin] / ˈmɛl ə nɪn /

noun

1. any of a class of insoluble pigments, found in all forms of animal life, that account for the dark color of skin, hair, fur, scales, feathers, etc.

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melanin British  

/ ˈmɛlənɪn /

noun

1. any of a group of black or dark brown pigments present in the hair, skin, and eyes of man and animals: produced in excess in certain skin diseases and in melanomas

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melanin Scientific  

/ mĕl′ə-nĭn /

1. Any of various pigments that are responsible for the dark color of the skin, hair, scales, feathers, and eyes of animals and are also found in plants, fungi, and bacteria. Melanins are polymers, often bound to proteins, and in the animal kingdom are built from compounds produced by the oxidation of the amino acid tyrosine.

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melanin Cultural  

1. A dark brown coloring found in the body, especially in the skin and hair. Produced by special skin cells that are sensitive to sunlight, melanin protects the body by absorbing ultraviolet radiation from the sun.

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Discover More

The amount of melanin present in the skin determines the color of a person's complexion: people with a large amount have dark skin, whereas those with very little have fair skin. Melanin is also responsible for tanning.

Other Word Forms

• melaninlike
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of melanin

First recorded in 1835–45; melan- + -in ²

Example Sentences

Amira's Melanin Pack was a hit when it was released, and she's since worked with Maxis and Electronic Arts on officially adopting more skin tones into the game.

From BBC • Feb. 3, 2025

Melanin is a single name that refers to a family of five closely related compounds.

From Science Magazine • Nov. 2, 2023

Melanin, the dark pigment in the iris, absorbs most visible wavelengths of light but reflects longer wavelengths, including far-red light.

From Science Daily • Oct. 24, 2023

Melanin and Mental Health Connects individuals with culturally competent clinicians who are dedicated to serving the mental health needs of Black and Latinx/Hispanic communities.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 18, 2023

She had noticed that I was now through with everything from From the Notebooks of Melanin Sun to After Tupac and D Foster.

From "Sparrow" by Sarah Moon